Question Towing in OD

[Potentialbuyer]

A friend of mine has a similar truck as mine (2000 F350 4X4 7.3 Automatic) and he said that when he tows his 13,000 lb 34 foot trailer, he always uses third gear because he doesn't want to damage his transmission. The most weight I have towed was about 7000 lb and I never had any problems using OD. What would you guys recommend for maximum weight in 4th gear? Gil

 

[Tail_Gunner]

I've never heard of anybody ever having a problem towing in O/D with an automatic and a 7.3.

At highway speed, everything should be locked up, clutch packs & torque convertor. Without anything slipping and building heat from friction, there shouldn't be an overheating issue with the tranny. If you have a tranny temp gauge and an EGT gauge for the engine, between those two, you'll be able to see if you're having an overheating problem while towing in O/D.

I've been towing in O/D for over 10 years with not a single problem attributable to doing that.

 

[JLDickmon]

I'm not a big fan of towing in OD. That doesn't mean I don't, as I have from time to time..
usually on the turnpike in Ohio where it's fairly flat & level..
around here, it's "up the hill, down the hill" and I don't tow in OD because it's less stress on the lockup clutch in the torque convertor; which is a known weak point.

 

[dmd]

They were designed to tow in OD. 7000lbs is nothing. The engine must be really
reving when not in OD. 13000 is fine also. If the truck wants to keep shifting out
of OD, then mash the button until the road levels out some. When you can, just
go back to OD.

I tow at 65-70mph in OD all the way, just a waste of fuel not to use OD.

Have a co-worker with 4.10 gearing and never tows with OD. His engine is up around
2800RPM just to go 60.... and Texas is FLAT! I can see not using OD when climbing
the Sierra Mtns, but most areas dont have hills like that.

 

[Dogman]

But in everybody saying that, I have a 6.0 motor and if I'm in overdrive my EGT go shooting up towing a 8500 5th wheel. But I have 35" tall tires and 3.73 gears so, I have to watch what I'm doing not to over heat. So if your truck is stock you should not have a problem, but if you put taller tires on then you really need to get a EGT gauge and a trans. temp gauge.

 

[iracemine]

moral of the story is; get yourself some gauges and do your own thing.

 

[Tbar]

When the tranny starts hunting up and down............then lock out the o/d.


Tbar

 

[dmd]

But in everybody saying that, I have a 6.0 motor and if I'm in overdrive my EGT go shooting up towing a 8500 5th wheel. But I have 35" tall tires and 3.73 gears so, I have to watch what I'm doing not to over heat. So if your truck is stock you should not have a problem, but if you put taller tires on then you really need to get a EGT gauge and a trans. temp gauge.

Those 35's and 3.73 is the issue, not OD..

 

[Dogman]

I know that's the problem. I'm just saying these are thing that have to be looked at when towing and useing the OD. I have ordered 4.11 gears for my truck so my problem will be fixed soon.

 

[Potentialbuyer]

Thanks for the advice on this one. I didn't think it was an issue because they don't really say anything in the owner's manual about what gear to use; they just have a chart of towing capacities for the model of truck. Gil